Friday, August 31, 2012

MSNBC host Chris Matthews got into a heated exchange with Republican delegates at a Tampa restaurant early Friday morning following the conclusion of the GOP national convention.

Matthews was booed and sworn at as he was leaving the Tinatapas restaurant, which is near the Tampa Bay Times Forum. Matthews turned back and confronted the taunting GOP officials... He headed back into the restaurant to mix it up with them. “I wanted to confront them,” Matthews said, describing his exchange with the men as “towel-snapping” among guys.

Matthews said he told the rowdy group, “What’s this, a douchebag convention?”

The Republicans became angry and retorted back... “I told him that’s next week," said New York delegate Anthony Nunziato, referring to the Democratic convention in Charlotte, N.C., that will start on Tuesday.

...New York City Councilman Eric Ulrich, a GOP delegate, waved to him. But Matthews snubbed Ulrich, according to Bacarella... Ulrich then attempted to acknowledge Matthews as the "Hardball" host exited the restaurant, a gesture that Matthews answered with a "dirty look," prompting loud boos from other delegates at the restaurant, Bacarella said.

One convention-goer yelled out "hey, a--hole," to Matthews, at which point the combative host walked back toward the hostile bunch.

The delegates said that they asked Matthews whether he had gotten a [tingling] thrilling sensation from Mitt Romney’s speech on Thursday night, and Matthews responded that he had not.

The “Hardball” host made news earlier this week after he got into a heated argument on "Morning Joe" with Republican National Committee Chairman Reince Priebus. Matthews accused the GOP and the Romney campaign of playing the race card.

One woman, who the pool later identified as Bev Kalmer, of Poland, Ohio, told the VP: "Welcome to Ohio." His response: "I've been waitin' all day to be here."

She said "You gotta keep the chair" to him -- a reference to Clint Eastwood's speech last night at the RNC -- and he gave her a kiss right on the lips. She swooned. Asked if she wants Biden to run for president in 2016, she told the pool: "I don't know. We've got to keep the chair." She paused. "You got that? The invisible chair."

Approaching a table of men he knew to be Greek, the VP said, “I’m Joe Bidenopoulos.”

“Ask George,” he said – unclear who George was, maybe someone at the table --“who’s the most Greek Irishman he’s ever known.” Sounded like Biden was suggesting he is.

He moved on to a table of three women, sitting down briefly, before moving on to one where two women were sitting.

“Let’s dance,” he said to one, named Jennifer, as she stood up right next to him. They posed for a photo before he turned to her tablemate, who was wearing scrubs, and asked, ‘Are you a nurse?” He then sat down and started speaking to her quietly, presumably about nurses.

During the last day of the RNC convention in Tampa, Florida, Democratic National Committee Chairwoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz surprised Republicans by taking a stroll down radio road, in hopes of disseminating more of President Obama’s re-election message. In between radio spots, Wasserman Schultz effectively dodged the question as to whether she was going to debate her Republican congressional opponent Karen Harrington.

‘DWS’ as she is referred to, refused to answer any questions from ‘Republican-leaning’ media outlets.

Wasserman Schultz was asked several times if she was going to accept Harrington’s challenge, but she ignored the the reporter’s question. The Congresswoman was challenged to five debates by Harrington but has yet to agree to any of them- instead she called out Karen Harrington, GOP VP nominnee Ryan and GOP Presidential nominee Mitt Romney as “Republican Extremists’ in a fundraising letter to her supporters.

Of course, the real extremists are the left-wing kooks who still push for more "Great Society"/Section 8/Democrat Plantation policies despite 50 consecutive years of failure.

Support Karen Harrington for Congress. We don't need any more losers like DWS in Congress. Because we've reached the loser breaking-point.

After this morning’s ... “Fresh From Florida” breakfast, Congressman Allen West addressed a media gaggle and was asked by a TCPalm reporter about his publication’s editorial board.

“I don’t want your endorsement, I want you to continue to endorse the other guy.”

For those of you unfamiliar, the TCPalm website is the primary mainstream media publication that covers the Treasure Coast area, and it’s a publication hostile to West. TC Palm’s site routinely publishes puff pieces on Murphy as well as Murphy’s almost certainly ghostwritten op-eds.

With a few dozen more Allen Wests in Congress, we could really return this country to Constitutional government -- and unleash the private sector.

QOTD: "To those Democrats and independents whose minds are open to argument: listen closely to the Democratic party that will gather in Charlotte and ask yourself if you ever hear your voice in the clamor.

Ask yourself if these Democrats still speak for you.

When they say we have a duty to grow government even when we can't afford it, does it sound like compassion to you -- or recklessness?

When you hear the party that glorified Occupy Wall Street blast success, when you hear them minimize the genius of the men and women who make jobs out of nothing, is that what you teach your children about work?

When they tell you America is this unequal place where the powerful trample on the powerless, does that sound like the country your children or your spouse risked their lives for in Iraq or Afghanistan?

...John F. Kennedy asked us what we could do for America. This Democratic party asks what can government give you. Don't worry about paying the bill; it's on your kids and grandkids." --Artur Davis, speaking at the RNC

On August 6, 2011, 30 US service members were killed when a CH-47 Chinook helicopter they were being transported in crashed in Wardak province, Afghanistan. It was the deadliest single loss for U.S. forces in the decade-long war in Afghanistan. 17 members of the elite Navy SEALs were killed in the crash.

...sent personal letters to the families of every one of the more than 4,000 troops who have died in the two wars, an enormous personal effort that consumed hours of his time and escaped public notice.

The task, along with meeting family members of troops killed in action, has been so wrenching – balancing the anger, grief and pride of families coping with the loss symbolized by a flag-draped coffin – that the president often leaned on his wife, Laura, for emotional support...

Mr. Bush also has met privately with more than 500 families of troops killed in action and with more than 950 wounded veterans, according to White House spokesman Carlton Carroll. Many of those meetings were outside the presence of the news media at the White House or at private sessions during official travel stops, officials said.

I have been shown in the files of the War Department a statement of the Adjutant General of Massachusetts that you are the mother of five sons who have died gloriously on the field of battle. I feel how weak and fruitless must be any word of mine which should attempt to beguile you from the grief of a loss so overwhelming.

But I cannot refrain from tendering you the consolation that may be found in the thanks of the Republic they died to save. I pray that our Heavenly Father may assuage the anguish of your bereavement, and leave you only the cherished memory of the loved and lost, and the solemn pride that must be yours to have laid so costly a sacrifice upon the altar of freedom.

Yours, very sincerely and respectfully,

A. Lincoln

I don't have the vocabulary to express my level of disgust with this president's brand of lackadaisical, "lead from behind" behavior. America deserves better. And, God willing, we'll get it in November.

• NBC and MSNBC inexcusably censored every... single... African-American and Latino who spoke at yesterday's Republican convention -- ignoring two of the best speeches of the night, those of Mia Love and Artur Davis -- in a move reminiscent of a modern-day Invisible Man

• Chris Matthews openly expressed his inexcusable belief that only blacks are on foodstamps

• And blatant coordination between the Democrat National Committee and old media -- including The Los Angeles Times, Politico, and other outlets -- appears intended to de-legitimize and dehumanize any minority who dares stand up to the Statist agenda

To paraphrase the loathsome Janeane Garafolo, "this is racism straight up". That's how the Democrat-Media complex thinks. That's how they operate.

And they intend to do whatever it takes to keep dumbing down the electorate. How else can they maintain their white-knuckled grip on power as their failed "Great Society", Section 8 plantation implodes?

The free market creates more wealth and more opportunites for more people than any other economic model. This is exactly why the Left -- be they socialists, or Marxists, or left-leaning Democrats -- attack it relentlessly.

That's why they lie, describing the free market as the cause of the current financial crisis. But it was in fact they, through onerous and arbitrary regulation and out-of-control governmental appendages like Fannie Mae, who twisted and distorted the free market.

The free market promotes self worth, self-sufficiency, shared values, and honest dealings. That doesn't mean to say there aren't crooks: they exist in every endeavor (especially government). But when you consider the trillions of transactions that make up the free market, the number of crooks is relatively tiny.

The free market enhances the individual, the family and the community. And it discriminates against no race, religion or gender.

The truck driver does not know the skin color of the individual who helped create the diesel fuel that powers his vehicle.

The cook does not know the religion of the dairy farmers who delivers milk to his restaurant.

The airline passenger does not know the gender of the factory workers who manufactured a critical component of the aircraft.

Nor do they care. The free market is an intricate system of voluntary economic, social and cultural interaction that are motivated by the desires and needs of the individual and the community.

All people who love liberty should join us. All people who revere our founding and our history should join the Constitutional Conservatism movement. Because we welcome all people, no matter the race, religion, creed or color. Join with us to preserve this, the most magnificent society ever seen on Earth.

QOTD: "Hundreds of reporters have come to Tampa with plans to cover something other than the actual Republican convention. Instead, they are here seeking "proof" of their own preconceived partisan prejudices and it is amazing (as I sit here in the lavishly appointed Media Filing Center downtown) to see how the Republican Party has spared no expense in welcoming its most ferocious and dangerous enemies. If you believe what you see in most convention coverage, you will think of Republicans as the Evil Party of Greedy Haters, a frightening conclave of grim and ferocious extremists. Everything the GOP does here in Tampa will be portrayed as insincere, corrupt, scandalous or (best of all) "controversial." When Democrats convene next week in Charlotte, however, everything Obama and his supporters do will be portrayed as warm, wonderful, and honest. The reporters delivering these contrasting depictions of the two parties do not consider themselves as engaged in partisan advocacy. Rather, in the minds of the liberal media, they are simply reporting the objective truth." --Robert Stacy McCain

Paul Krugman said he would be concerned if government spending hit 50% of GDP. The trend does not look good, but by Krugman's measure there is a ways to go.

Nonetheless, I think we should be concerned now. The numbers ignore exploding national debt and interest on national debt. Interest on national debt will skyrocket if rates go up or growth estimates penciled in do not occur. Both of those are likely...

The figures also ignore ever-escalating costs of Medicare, Social Security, and pension promises, all of which are guaranteed to soar in the not so distant future. Romney says Unfunded liabilities amount to $520,000 per household.

In case you didn't realize it, the only claim Matthews has to being a journalist is that he is a partisan Democrat. Matthews never worked a day as a reporter, never covered a city council meeting or a homecoming parade. After evading the Vietnam-era military draft by enrolling in the Peace Corps, Matthews moved to Washington and worked on the staff of various congressional Democrats before unsuccessfully running for Congress as a Democrat, later joining the White House staff as a speechwriter for Democrat Jimmy Carter, then spending the Reagan years as a top aide to Democrat House Speaker Tip O'Neill.

Somehow, this ultra-political background as a partisan operative qualified Matthews for the job of Washington bureau chief for the San Francisco Chronicle. Such is the biography of the man who has been employed for the past 15 years as a "journalist" by NBC, hosting his own show on the network's little-watched MSNBC cable franchise while appearing regularly on the broadcast network during coverage of major political events.

For most of you reading along, "MNSBC" is a cable channel that recycles Media Matters press releases as "hard news". Which explains why you've never heard of it.

QOTD: "But for the more elite and influential progressive, affluence has allowed liberal orthodoxy to evolve to its theoretical limitations. There is a reason why 90% of professors — life-long tenure, summers off, guaranteed pay raises — are liberal and 70% of small-business people are conservative. The more removed one becomes from the elemental struggle to eat one more day — and never in the history of civilization have so many been so exempt from such existential worries — the more one enjoys the luxury of pondering more cosmic issues such as extending Social Security disability payments to youths suffering from attention deficit disorder or mandating gay history in state public schools or saving the smelt." --Victor Davis Hanson

GM is set to idle the plant where it assembles the Chevy Volt for four weeks - starting next month. GM will close its Detroit-Hamtramck plant from Sept 17 to Oct 15 with its 1500 staff being made aware by union reps at the end of last week. The knock-on effect is relatively obvious as the illustrious government-owned auto manufacturer notified suppliers last week and while a GM spokesperson would not confirm the planned shutdown, we couldn't help but raise an eyebrow at the comment that "we continue to match supply and demand" as we note this is the second time this year that GM has throttled back on Volt production.

The Detroit-Hamtramck plant was idled from March 19 until April 16 amid swollen Volt inventories.

And don't even get me started about the Dealergate Scandal (during which the Obama administration closed dealerships based upon political motivations), a scandal later confirmed by "Auto Czar" and Obama crony Steve Rattner.

Well, you could call it "swift-boating" -- except... there are millions and millions of incriminating images depicting President Obama's unprecedented acts of submission when greeting world leaders:

The controversial super PAC Special Operations for America, led by former Navy SEALs, is set to release a blistering new ad against President Obama Tuesday at the Republican National Convention.

The ad, titled “Bow to Nobody,” depicts Navy SEALs in combat situations; it then proclaims that they fight so that America will not have to bow to anybody.

Then the punch line: the infamous photo of Obama bowing to the Saudi king.

The ad is sure to provoke massive consternation on the left, which has been in a frenzy ever since Special Operations for America launched. The event at which the ad launches, “Defending Our Defenders: A Salute to the United States Military,” will feature a tribute by Congressman Louie Gohmert, former members of SEAL Team Six, Army Rangers, Gold Star parents, and a few surprise guests.

Ryan Zinke, the former Navy SEAL who started the super PAC, spoke exclusively with Breitbart News today. “The ad itself accurately portrays where this President is,” said Zinke. “It accurately portrays his core belief that America should not lead. This president is shaping America to be one of the followers, to relinquish our role as a world leader. I didn’t fight 23 years as a Navy SEAL to watch America bow to anybody.”

He continued, “It’s not just the king of Saudi Arabia. My friends from WWII that fought in the Pacific theater -- when they see the president bow to the emperor of Japan, I’ve seen veterans cry. This is about the fundamental belief in American exceptionalism, the notion that America should reign supreme. We are a country of values, and we fought hard to be exceptional, and we are.”

Those who need an explanation of the president's, uhm, unique habits need only catch a viewing of the movie 2016.

Estimates indicate upwards of 30,000 people could have been evac'ed in one trip. That is, of course, assuming there had been sufficient planning and execution at the local level. Think about it. In a single trip, most of the folks at the Superdome and Convention Center could have been sent to Houston or other venues.

But, no, the buses sit unused and ruined in flooded parking lots, leaking a delightful concoction -- made up of diesel fuel and motor oil -- into the toxic soup soaking the city. But, hey, maybe the Left can figure out a way to blame that on President Bush, too. Along with the hurricane, global warming, Governor Blanco's deer-in-the-headlights performance, and runny catsup in the relief centers.

Thank God for the U.S. Military and for President Bush. I shudder to think what would have happened had the President not called the Governor and personally requested a mandatory evacuation of New Orleans, an act called 'unprecedented':

...a mandatory evacuation was ordered Sunday for New Orleans by Mayor Ray Nagin... The mayor called the order unprecedented and said anyone who could leave the city should... Gov. Kathleen Blanco, standing beside the mayor at a news conference, said President Bush called and personally appealed for a mandatory evacuation for the low-lying city, which is prone to flooding...

Ray Nagin Memorial Motor Pool

And, yes, all pre-evacuation plans for New Orleans called for using buses and organized assistance to those who do not have private transportation. May I quote from the State of Louisiana's Emergency Operations Plan [PDF]?

The primary means of hurricane evacuation will be personal vehicles. School and municipal buses, government-owned vehicles and vehicles provided by volunteer agencies may be used to provide transportation for individuals who lack transportation and require assistance in evacuating...

In other words, the administration wanted centralized command-and-control over the police, state National Guard, and related local units that report to the governor. According to the Post's report, Louisiana officials rejected the request, apparently fearing a political backlash to any de facto declaration of martial law.

So now you know the rest of the story.

Oh, and one more thing for you Democrat drones, sycophants and media types: stop blaming Bush, global warming, ATMs, and the Euro crisis for all the crap that's gone wrong on your watch.

QOTD: "None of us can know what the world will be like four years from now, but one thing can be said for certain: An American woman will still enjoy her “right to choose.” Whether one supports or opposes abortion, the practical reality is that the biggest “threat” to your “right” to one is that you might have to drive a little bit further for it. Still, one should never underestimate the peculiar lens through which “progressives” view reality: The “war” on women boils down to Sandra Fluke, a 30-year-old schoolgirl, demanding Georgetown Law should pay for its students’ contraceptives — notwithstanding that the entire cost of that four-year contraceptive bill works out to less than the first week’s paycheck of a Georgetown Law graduate’s first job (average starting salary: $160 grand per year). War is hell." --Mark Steyn, "The War on Children"

S.F. police chief highest-paid U.S. cop

...With a total pay of $321,577, San Francisco Police Chief Greg Suhr won top honors last year among the nation's police bosses. He also happened to be the highest-paid department head in San Francisco city government...

...Fire Chief Joanne Hayes-White came in second in the city salary sweepstakes at $310,458 - including $17,573 in similar pay premiums for education and training.
Jennifer Johnston, spokeswoman for the Human Resources agency, said the city has considered eliminating premium pay for higher-ups, but that without it, the bosses wouldn't be making much more than the rank-and-file.

In all, a record 401 San Francisco city workers made more than $200,000 in the past fiscal year, with overtime included.

The top earner was Assistant Fire Chief David Franklin, one of six deputies assigned to work 24-hour shifts in firehouses. He pulled down $333,490, including more than $140,000 in overtime and other pay.

...One of the real eye-catchers is the Muni electronics mechanic who ranked fifth in city government in overall pay... The mechanic, Khoa Trinh, who works on buses, light-rail vehicles and trolley cars, was paid a base salary of $106,036 - but he pulled down $163,856 in overtime and $23,478 in other extras, to boost his total earnings to $293,370.

Plenty of Muni brethren joined Trinh atop the money pile. Ten street supervisors and three mechanics earned more than $200,000 apiece last year, and all of them more than doubled their base salaries with overtime.

"It's frustrating as hell," said one Muni higher-up, who asked not to be named because of the sensitivity of the issue. "It's a big black box, and I don't know how to untangle it - and I'm on the inside."

Untangling it will require the heroism of someone like Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker. Someone brave enough to take on the public sector unions and the Democrat government apparatus, who have formed an unholy alliance against their employers, the taxpayers themselves.